The Ministry of Earth Sciences celebrated its foundation day at Vigyan Bhavan in the national capital today.Professor Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, DST was the Chief Guest. The foundation day lecture was given by Dr. Asahiko Taira, President, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC).

This year the Life Time Excellence award was given to Professor K. S. Valdiya from JNCASR, Bengaluru for his significant contribution in the field of isotope geoscience. The National Awards for Ocean Science & technology was presented to Dr. Satheesh Shenoi, Director, INOCIS, Hyderabad and Dr. R. Venkatesan, NIOT, Chennai. Dr. B. V. Krishna Murthy, Retd. Director, SPL, ISRO received the National Award for Atmospheric Science & technology. The National award for Geoscience & technology was presented to Prof. Sekhar Muddu, IISc, Bengaluru and Prof Sunil Bajpai, Director, BSIP, Lucknow. Dr. Kusala Rajendran, IISc, Bengaluru received the newly instituted National award for women scientist.

The Young Researcher Awards was presented to Dr. Mala S. Bagiya, IIG, Mumbai and Dr. Praveen Kumar, INOCIS, Hyderabad for their outstanding work in Earth Science & Technology.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) is mandated to provide the nation with the best possible services in forecasting the monsoons and other weather/climate parameters, ocean state, earthquakes, tsunamis and other phenomena related to earth systems, for the public safety and socio-economic benefits. The Ministry also deals with science and technology for exploration and harnessing of ocean resources (living and non-living), and play nodal role for Antarctic/Arctic/Himalayas and Southern Ocean research.